Pokémon (franchise)
Pokémon (Japanese: ポケモン, Pokémon, but also referred to as ポケットモンスター, Pocket Monsters) is a popular media franchise by Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures and The Pokémon Company, featuring creatures known as Pokémon, which the player can capture (using devices known as Poké Balls) to fight in battles against other people. The people who capture and raise Pokémon are known as Pokémon Trainers. Pokémon began as a video game franchise for Nintendo's Game Boy systems, but has since expanded to be part of its own anime, film, manga, trading card series, along with many other medium. Pokémon began as a concept by Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri, originally known as "Capsule Monsters". It was inspired by Tajiri's own fascination with collecting bugs. Pokémon has always been popular, but has gained some renewed interest with the release of Pokémon Go for mobile devices. Core Pokémon games The general aim of the core Pokémon series is to collect Pokémon and battle other Pokémon Trainers, with the aim of becoming the strongest Pokémon Trainer in the region (usually by defeating a group known as the Elite Four and becoming the Pokémon Champion), as well as capturing every available Pokémon (hence the English version slogan "Gotta Catch 'Em All", although this slogan was once removed). The player must also defeat strong Trainers known as Gym Leaders and collect their badges, of which there are usually eight members. These games are usually released in two or more versions, with different available monsters between the versions and/or a slightly different story. The trend of releasing two or more versions has also inspired other monster collecting franchises to imitate it. The Pokémon games can communicate with other versions, to exchange monsters and battle. Originally this involved a peripheral known as the Link Cable which the player would attach to the Game Boy, but because of the wireless capabilities of Nintendo's later consoles, this is no longer necessary. Generation I Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow (1996-2000) The games that started the franchise, released for Game Boy and Game Boy Color. In Japan, the games were first released as Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Green Version, while in the west they were released as Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version. In Japan, Pokémon Blue Version was later released, originally as a Coro Coro Comic promotion. There are 151 monsters in this game. The game takes place in Kanto, inspired by the real life Kantō region in Japan. The Yellow Version (also known as "Special Pikachu Edition") features Pikachu (main series mascot) as the starting Pokémon instead of Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, who can follow the player around. File:Pokemon Red.png|Pokémon Red File:Pokemon Green.png|Pocket Monsters Green File:Pokemon Blue.png|Pokémon Blue File:Pokemon Yellow.png|Pokémon Yellow Generation II Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal (1999-2001) Released for Game Boy and Game Boy Color. Features 100 more new monsters, bringing the total to 251 collectable monsters. This time the games takes place in Johto, but the original Kanto can still be explored. There are a total of 16 Gym Leaders (including 8 in Johto, 8 in Kanto), and badges to collect as well. Pokémon Crystal introduced the Battle Tower; a Pokémon battling facility and focused on the legends of the legendary beasts (Entei, Raikou, Suicune). In Japan, it made use of the now defunct Mobile System GB service, in which players would connect the Game Boy to a mobile phone using the Mobile GB Adapter. File:Pokemon Gold.png|Pokémon Gold File:Pokemon Silver.png|Pokémon Silver File:Pokemon Crystal.png|Pokémon Crystal Generation III Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald (2002-2005) Released for Game Boy Advance. Takes place in the Hoenn region. This time there are 135 new collectable monsters, bringing the total to 386 monsters, however originally not all of the old monsters are available, because Game Boy Advance games usually cannot communicate with Game Boy or Game Boy Color games. To address this, Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD for the Nintendo GameCube released some of the older monsters, as did Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen and Pokémon Emerald. Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire feature a Battle Tower like in Pokémon Crystal. Pokémon Emerald expanded upon the concept and introduced the Battle Frontier, with many more battling facilities and collectable medals for clearing the facilities. File:Pokemon Ruby.png|Pokémon Ruby File:Pokemon Sapphire.png|Pokémon Sapphire File:Pokemon Emerald.png|Pokémon Emerald Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen (2004) Remake of Pokémon Red/Green and Blue, this time for the Game Boy Advance and with the newer (at the time) monsters. File:Pokemon FireRed.png|Pokémon FireRed File:Pokemon LeafGreen.png|Pokémon LeafGreen Generation IV Pokémon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum (2006-2009) Released for the Nintendo DS. As the Nintendo DS originally featured a Game Boy Advance slot, it is possible to transfer Pokémon from the Game Boy Advance games to a location known as "Pal Park". It includes a total of 493 Pokémon (107 more). It takes place in the Sinnoh region. Some of the monsters are only available by linking with the Game Boy Advance games. File:Pokemon Diamond.png|Pokémon Diamond File:Pokemon Pearl.png|Pokémon Pearl File:Pokemon Platinum.png|Pokémon Platinum Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver (2009-2010) Released for the Nintendo DS. It is a remake of Pokémon Gold and Silver, with the newer monsters. File:Pokemon HeartGold.png|Pokémon HeartGold File:Pokemon SoulSilver.png|Pokémon SoulSilver Generation V Pokémon Black/White (2010-2011) Released for the Nintendo DS, but with Nintendo DSi enhancements. It takes place in the Unova region (based on the United States of America) and was considered a 'reboot' of the series, featuring only newly released monsters (although older ones can still be obtained with the Poké Transfer feature). It includes a total of 649 monsters (156 more). A focus on this game is the philosophical relationship between truths and ideals, with three Legendary Pokémon alluding to yin/yang in Taoism. File:Pokemon Black.png|Pokémon Black File:Pokemon White.png|Pokémon White Pokémon Black 2/White 2 (2012) Released for the Nintendo DS, but with Nintendo DSi enhancements. They take place in the Unova region again, but are rather sequels to Pokémon Black/White with a different story. Additionally, many of the older monsters from the series are now available, without having to link to an older game. The Poké Transfer feature is also available to transfer Pokémon from older games, as before. File:Pokemon Black 2.png|Pokémon Black 2 File:Pokemon White 2.png|Pokémon White 2 Generation VI Pokémon X and Y (2013) Released for the Nintendo 3DS. There are 721 monsters in this game (72 more). They take place in the Kalos region, based on France. This time the theme of the game alludes to the concepts of beauty, as well as similarity and difference, with Legendary Pokémon representing the concepts of life and death. These are the first games in the series to support Pokémon Bank and Poké Transporter; online services to store Pokémon and transfer Pokémon from older games, respectively. All games which follow it support the service. The games also introduced the concept of Mega Evolution; a temporary form of Pokémon evolution in battle, which makes the Pokémon generally even stronger than before. Various Mega Evolved forms of Pokémon are available in the games. File:Pokemon X.png|Pokémon X File:Pokemon Y.png|Pokémon Y Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2014) Released for the Nintendo 3DS. They are remakes of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, with all of the previously added (721) monsters. File:Pokemon Omega Ruby.png|Pokémon Omega Ruby File:Pokemon Alpha Sapphire.png|Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Generation VII Pokémon Sun/Moon (2016) Released for the Nintendo 3DS. They take place in the Alola region; a series of islands. 802 Pokémon are featured in this game. These games introduce the Ultra Beasts; unusual Pokémon from other worlds which are usually captured with Beast Balls. File:Pokemon Sun.png|Pokémon Sun File:Pokemon Moon.png|Pokémon Moon Pokémon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon (2017) Released for the Nintendo 3DS. These games are enhanced versions of Pokémon Sun/Moon with a different story based on the Ultra Beasts, with 5 additional available Pokémon, bringing the total to 807 species. File:Pokemon Ultra Sun.png|Pokémon Ultra Sun File:Pokemon Ultra Moon.png|Pokémon Ultra Moon Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018) Released for the Nintendo Switch. They are enhanced remakes of Pokémon Yellow, however only the original 151 Pokémon (plus the addition of a completely new Pokémon) are available. File:Pokemon LGP.png|Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu! File:Pokemon LGE.png|Pokémon: Let's Go Eevee! Communities We aren't too strict on what gets listed here, feel free to add your own Pokémon fan-site (as long as it is not a scam). *Bulbapedia *Serebii *Smogon University *Marilland *Cave of Dragonflies *PKMN.NET *Azure Heights *Glitch City Laboratories (Pokémon glitches, secrets, Easter Eggs) Category:Franchises